Bhishma

Bhishma was a name of Devvart, the son of Shantanu and Ganga. He was the eighth and youngest son of Shantanu. He figures in the great epic Mahabharat.

Devvrat was wiser than all his brothers. His father once met a girl named Satyavati, a daughter of a fisherman. He was so much attracted with her beauty that he proposed to marry her. However, her father put a condition, if you would marry to my daughter, her son would be the crowned as king. This condition was not acceptable to Shantanu and returned home. But Shantanu could not concentrate his mind on the affairs of his kingdom. When Devvart saw his father worried and neglecting the affairs of the Kingdom, he enquired about the reason, and came to know about the truth. Devvart then went to Satyavati’s parents. Devvart tried to arrange the marriage of Satyavati and Shantanu. But parents of Satyavati did not agree. The father of Satyavati said that if Satyvati bore a son, her son would be the rightful heir. So, Devvart took an oath that he would not marry throughout his life. Satyavati’s son would be rightful heir in our Kingdom. Henceforth, he became Bhisma from Devvart.

Pleased with his vow, Santanu gave him a boon that he could live as long as he wished and that death would come to him when he desired. Bhisma remained firm even after death of his father, and installed Satyavati’s son as king. Now, Vichitravirya, Satyavati's son was on the throne, and Bhisma became a guardian of both Pandav and Kaurav.

However, in the Mahabharat war he was in Kaurava's side. In the battlefield, he always reminded them about the strength of Pandavas and lord Krishna. When Bhisma wanted to die, and he said to Arjun in the battlefield if he would fight with him from behind Shikhandi, he would not take arms against Arjun because Shikhandi was born a women. Arjun shot arrow after arrow on Bhisma untill he fell, and the arrows served him for bed on which he remained lying until the war was over.

Nearby pages
Bhishma Pitamah, Bhishmak, Bhisho, Bhismaknagar, Bhitarwar Vidhan Sabha Constituency